Rosemary Staples on Levin Down
April 2005
The Ambling Fox
Hello again.
Did you see the Violets on Levin? Weren't they absolutely stunning? I don't ever remember seeing so many up there. For those of you that can’t get up there for whatever reason, I can only describe it as a carpet of blue with large white patches (as there have been masses of white violets as well as the blue) and very soon there will be a carpet of Cowslips (as they are coming along in leaps and bounds). Definitely out by the time this reaches your doormat and already there are several Early Purple Orchids in bloom, so it will be a non-stop kaleidoscope of colour from now on, all through summer and beyond. Aren't we the lucky ones?
The birds are all in full breeding colours as well, singing their little hearts out, rushing about frantically with beaks full of sticks, feathers and moss, building lots of differently shaped nests for the new arrivals. Big ones, scruffy ones, neat ones, flat ones, ones shaped like baskets lined with down, tiny ones - all built in different locations, trees, bushes, grass banks, barns and such. What a busy life these birds do lead, bless 'em.
The butterflies are making a slow start, not surprising really, considering how cold it has been, but we have seen some, brimstones, of course, peacocks, commas, orange tips, speckled woods and the odd small tortoiseshell. Hopefully they will get more plentiful once it warms up a bit - as soon as the blackthorn blossom has faded. Good riddance to blackthorn winter!
In case you don't know, they have replaced three of the stiles that gave access to Levin Down with kissing gates, so there are only the stiles on the western boundary of the reserve now. So that is good news.
We went out on our bikes this
afternoon (April 19th), up to East Dean and up New House Lane, past the
farm then into the forest. It was just lovely. Primroses and bluebells
by the sides of the rides, the young beeches just showing leaf and there
was a fox just ambling along in front of us, completely unaware until
suddenly it realised we were there, and it was gone like lightning! It
was a beautiful ride in beautiful surroundings and I didn't fall off!
Must go or I shall miss the deadline for The Valley Diary.
See you soon.